My hen suddenly died, could it be heat stroke? (Graphic photo)

[Newchick429]

My hen (under 2 but overweight) just died. I found her in the coop and noticed she wasn’t walking properly. I thought it looked like heat stroke. Both her and another HEB we have from the feed store are much larger and heavier than the “wild” hens on the island where we live. They’re typically the only ones I see panting.

I took her inside to the ac, but she all of a sudden struggled and I accidentally dropped her on the concrete. When I brought her inside she kept laying her head down. Mouth open. Within an hour she died. There was brown vomit by her mouth.

We’re also watching a friends dog that will sometimes snap and try to chache them. But she’s paralyzed from the waist down, so they’ve just steered clear of her. My husband thinks she got ahold of her, but there’s no punctures at all.

I feel horrible I dropped her and probably made things worse.

They have free range with a small tray to stand in to cool off. Water and shade everywhere. Is there anything I can do to prevent this in the future? It’s hot where we live year round. 89 and very humid today.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

The only way to be certain (and maybe not even then) would be to send the bird for a necropsy.

Overweight birds are prone to a host of potential health issues. Chickens don't put on intramuscular fat like we do, most of their fat tends to concerntrate inside the organ cavity, where it can put pressure on the heart and lungs, resulting in increased organ stress and decreased oxygenation/blood flow.

Excess fat also accumulates in the liver, resulting in a condition called fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome. It make the liver "buttery" and friable, "crumbly" if you will, and as the liver breaks apart, the bird hemorrhages internally. Often results in sudden chicken death with few (if any) external signs.

and yes, heat can be an aggravating factor - any true stressor.

and while FLHS is strongly associated with feeding, there are other causes as well. The condition is well understood, the cause is often much harder to identify in individual birds.

If you can't send for necropsy, but you are comfortable butchering, open the bird up and poke around inside. If you find the bird's organ cavity full of congealed blood and the liver in pieces, you have your answer. If the bird was lethargic, the comb a sort of poorly oxygenated blue-grey, and the body cavity is full of hard yellow fat with the heart basically enrobed in attached fat, you have strong suggestion its dietary in nature.

If you find different symptoms, and have a cell phone handy, those pictures can be instructive.

and your girl should have more fat than the boy in the pictures I linked. Adult hens store fat in preparation for periods of broodiness when they can't devote much time to foraging.

 

[Newchick429]

Thank you for your reply. She was a pet hen, my husband thought about looking but couldn’t bring himself to do it. There’s no specialty vets where we live unfortunately. I feel bad for her remaining sister. We have one other “wild” hen and her three babies (who hopefully all make it) to keep her company at night in the coop. As well as the other chickens that come in the yard. I can’t bring myself to think of getting any more after the losses we’ve had.

 

[Ecarroll]

With that “brown vomit” I’m thinking it could be sour crop possibly, but I don’t know too much about that. You could do a search on Google maybe for sour crop

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I understand. We have no one local either. I've learned that I need to either learn for myself or accept not knowing.

Recognizing your limits, and altering your lifestyle in response is always commendable. Takes all kinds - not all of us are emotionally suited to being the village butcher, and the village is better for it as result.

My condolences on your losses. It can be hard, even for those of us who are suited to butchering.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

With that “brown vomit” I’m thinking it could be sour crop possibly, but I don’t know too much about that. You could do a search on Google maybe for sour crop

this is a good point - I've no first hand experience with it - and focused on the symptoms I do know well - a condition not often associated with vomit of any sort.

Not a very good detective, tonight, I fear.

 

[Ecarroll]

@GlicksChicks @Wyorp Rock @sourland @aart @Eggcessive

Maybe these people could help

 

[CloneFly]

My hen (under 2 but overweight) just died. I found her in the coop and noticed she wasn’t walking properly. I thought it looked like heat stroke. Both her and another HEB we have from the feed store are much larger and heavier than the “wild” hens on the island where we live. They’re typically the only ones I see panting.

I took her inside to the ac, but she all of a sudden struggled and I accidentally dropped her on the concrete. When I brought her inside she kept laying her head down. Mouth open. Within an hour she died. There was brown vomit by her mouth.

We’re also watching a friends dog that will sometimes snap and try to chache them. But she’s paralyzed from the waist down, so they’ve just steered clear of her. My husband thinks she got ahold of her, but there’s no punctures at all.

I feel horrible I dropped her and probably made things worse.

They have free range with a small tray to stand in to cool off. Water and shade everywhere. Is there anything I can do to prevent this in the future? It’s hot where we live year round. 89 and very humid today.

So sorry for the loss of your hen. What breed is she? Any odd smells ?

 

[Newchick429]

With that “brown vomit” I’m thinking it could be sour crop possibly, but I don’t know too much about that. You could do a search on Google maybe for sour crop

I’ll check that. It seemed odd. I’ve seen animals get heat stroke, mostly dogs on hikes. Luckily I’ve been able to help them. I feel so bad for not catching her in time if that was the case. She was completely normal this morning.

 

[Newchick429]

So sorry for the loss of your hen. What breed is she? Any odd smells ?

Thank you. I’m not sure of the breed. The feed store just lets them all breed together. We got our black and white, hen from the same batch as her. The owner just called them “mixto” when I asked.